Gayle Jane Cross Fit

[janie1234]

Hi Gayle and Jane, gosh hope you don't mind that I ask you both a few more questions. I've spent some time on the website but boy it is a little overwhelming. A whole lotta links and everytime I click on something it is some crazy drill that is extremely intimidating. Gayle that link that you posted about where you started was really helpful (leg workout). I did that workout and it was very doable. Do you or Jane have any other video links of more beginner workouts. When you are first starting out do you do everything with lighter weight to focus on form? How about pull ups? When you started how did you start out? Did you modify with a chair? Band? How important is completing the work out in a quick time? Thanks for all your pointers and advice!

 

[Gayle]

Hi Janie - Glad you liked Leg Day! I think that's a fun one.

Yes - When first starting out, go lighter on weight (no weight, even) and keep good form. One thing to keep in mind is that the weights that they post on the main site (www.crossfit.com) are usually the men's weights. The general rule of thumb is for women to scale down to roughly 60% - 65% of that. That said, there are very few standard WODs where I use the full women's weight...and that's okay.

Pullups - I still can't do pullups. In a WOD, I sub jumping pullups, pullups with a weighted assist (like a band), or beginner pullups/ring rows. All of these are valid substitutes...you'll still feel the work.

Jumping pullups - http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/jumping-pull-ups.wmv
Beginner pullups (early in the video) - http://www.brandxmartialarts.com/videos/pull ups.wmv

I don't time my WODs that much anymore. There are a few benchmark WODs (the one with the girl or hero names) that I time as well as the 5k run, but for the rest, I just move through it as quickly as possibly with as little rest as possible. I think timing the WOD can be a good thing at first since you'll see measurable progress, but if you keep at it, you'll know when you're working hard. FWIW, when I was starting out, I would do Leg Day every 2 or 3 weeks and time it. Every time I did the time would go down, and every time felt like it was an accomplishment.

I'll see if I can find some good beginner videos and post them later.

 

[lioness]

Hi Janie,

I don't have any links to beginner videos. I did many of the workouts at the boot camp I attended. When I left there, I mostly searched the affiliate sites for workouts. Since I was doing lots of these workouts at the park I had to modify them to what equipment I had and what I wanted to bring to the park.

As far as pull ups are concerned, I do jumping ones because that's all I can do. We used the jumping pull ups in our boot camp class and believe me, you will still feel it.

I don't really keep time of the workouts. Like Gayle, I just try to push through them with very little rest. I do work at maintaining form at all times and I use lighter weights if I have too. Many of the crossfit workouts use high reps so it's more doable to lower the weight a bit.

Here is one of the examples of the workouts that I did at the park. I got it from one of the CF affiliate sites. It was one of our favorite workouts.

The Fab 40s
40 meter walking lunges
40 kettlebell swings
40 meter walking lunges
40 pushups
40 meter walking lunges
40 crunches
40 meter walking lunges
40 kb rows 20/20
40 meter walking lunges
40 squats
40 meter walking lunges
40 jump ropes
40 meter walking lunges
40 kb clean and press 20/20
40 meter walking lunges
40 kettlebell swings
40 meter walking lunges
40 oblique crunches
40 meter walking lunges

Enjoy!

 

[janie1234]

Hi Janie - Glad you liked Leg Day! I think that's a fun one.

Yes - When first starting out, go lighter on weight (no weight, even) and keep good form. One thing to keep in mind is that the weights that they post on the main site (www.crossfit.com) are usually the men's weights. The general rule of thumb is for women to scale down to roughly 60% - 65% of that. That said, there are very few standard WODs where I use the full women's weight...and that's okay.

Pullups - I still can't do pullups. In a WOD, I sub jumping pullups, pullups with a weighted assist (like a band), or beginner pullups/ring rows. All of these are valid substitutes...you'll still feel the work.

Jumping pullups - http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/jumping-pull-ups.wmv
Beginner pullups (early in the video) - http://www.brandxmartialarts.com/videos/pull ups.wmv

I don't time my WODs that much anymore. There are a few benchmark WODs (the one with the girl or hero names) that I time as well as the 5k run, but for the rest, I just move through it as quickly as possibly with as little rest as possible. I think timing the WOD can be a good thing at first since you'll see measurable progress, but if you keep at it, you'll know when you're working hard. FWIW, when I was starting out, I would do Leg Day every 2 or 3 weeks and time it. Every time I did the time would go down, and every time felt like it was an accomplishment.

I'll see if I can find some good beginner videos and post them later.

Gayle. Thanks I can't tell you how much all this information helps me! I'm actually going to print it out. I really appreciate you taking the time to write this. For me this is really my hope for changing things up a bit and breaking my weight loss plateau. It is so different from what I'm used to though. I usually just push play, . .this is more about knowing what to do and doing it and pushing myself at the same time. Thank you! Thank you!!

 

[janie1234]

The Fab 40s
40 meter walking lunges
40 kettlebell swings
40 meter walking lunges
40 pushups
40 meter walking lunges
40 crunches
40 meter walking lunges
40 kb rows 20/20
40 meter walking lunges
40 squats
40 meter walking lunges
40 jump ropes
40 meter walking lunges
40 kb clean and press 20/20
40 meter walking lunges
40 kettlebell swings
40 meter walking lunges
40 oblique crunches
40 meter walking lunges

Enjoy!

Uhhh, . . .this looks really intimidating, . .yikes! This would take me a while to get through. I can already see my future, . . . a really sore back side and not being able to sit. I'll give this an atempt. I can already feel the burn. Thanks Jane.

 

[Gayle]

The Fab 40s

Wow, Jane! I turn 40 this year...I think I'll save that one for my birthday.

 

[Gayle]

Hi Janie - Glad to help. One positive change that I really noticed when I started doing these workouts was the mental shift that happened. I began focusing more and more on getting stronger, faster and more durable, and less on the aesthetics...although good aesthetic changes will happen. It made me happier from an exercise perspective.



Here are some beginner videos:

Jeremy
3 Rounds, 21-15-9 reps
* Broomstick overhead squats
* Burpees
You can add weight to the overhead squat, but this is the starter version and pretty good in its own right:
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_JeremyWOD.wmv

Helen
3 Rounds
* Run 400 meters
* 21 kettlebell swings
* 12 pull ups
This isn’t really a beginner video, but this workout is really easy to modify…and I just like it . Just go lighter on the swings (the chicks in the video use 35lbs), and use any of the pull up modifications.
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_HelenDemo.wmv

WOD from Valencia Seminar
7 Rounds
* 10 Medicine ball cleans (use whatever weight you got)
* 10 Burpees
The nice thing about this video is the introduction piece on form. If you aren’t comfortable with doing cleans, sub medicine ball thrusters. Decrease the number of rounds if it feels like too much at first…you can always work your way up.
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_ValenciaSeminarWorkout.wmv

Here’s a good video on scaling. Notice only one person did the WOD as rx’d:
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_ScaledWOD.mov

Here’s one that shows scaling, modifications, working outside, and having fun!

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CFCountryWO.mov

 

[allwildgirl]

The Fab 40s
40 meter walking lunges
40 kettlebell swings
40 meter walking lunges
40 pushups
40 meter walking lunges
40 crunches
40 meter walking lunges
40 kb rows 20/20
40 meter walking lunges
40 squats
40 meter walking lunges
40 jump ropes
40 meter walking lunges
40 kb clean and press 20/20
40 meter walking lunges
40 kettlebell swings
40 meter walking lunges
40 oblique crunches
40 meter walking lunges

Enjoy!

I am SO doing this one on the weekend! Thanks!

 

[janie1234]

Gayle, . .sending you super duper hugs and appreciation. Thank you sooo much. I totally agree about the mental change. I honestly care more about being super fit than super skinny. I really want strength gains overall. Thanks again!!!